Gun Control in America

[AceJP]

The Right to Self-Preservation

Gun control has been a controversial issue for many years, highlighted by the tragic murders in schools nationwide. Many people have become deathly afraid of weapons. Are weapons really the evil behind such incidents? Would eliminating guns, which are the tool to such heinous acts, be the cure? The answer is no. Although weapons are the tool, the actuality is that the victims had no way of defending themselves. Gun control limits the ability of an individual to protect himself, and instead places the burden on a government agency which is not omnipresent.

As many Americans watch the news, they are reminded of citizens who are robbed, murdered, or raped. Sadly, the victims had no way of protecting themselves. Many people have seen or heard the familiar broadcast ?Police arrived minutes after the incident occurred,? but had the police been there to protect before the incident happened, the person would not have been harmed. ?One member of the Second Amendment Sisters argued that without a gun, ?You might as well be wearing a T-shirt that says ?I?m unarmed, please don?t hurt me.? ?(Ludwig 2003) Unfortunately, this would be an unreasonable demand; there are just not enough security personnel to go around. An individual?s safety cannot be delegated to anyone other than himself. Gun control limits a person?s ability to fend off potential assailants.

One should ask himself, ?Should a government, who cannot protect me, be allowed to tell me that I cannot carry a weapon?? This is what our forefathers had expected may happen, and realizing everyone has a right to safety, included the 2nd Amendment in the constitution. ?A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.? (United States Constitution) It seems once again the government who by all means is trying to work for the people, is in fact working against the good of all people by overstepping its boundaries. It is everyone?s right to own a weapon and be self reliant.

Many people opposed to gun control would bring up the issue of maturity, saying that too many people would be arrogant with their weapon and would hurt not only themselves but others as well. The point is valid, but the fact is that it is not the government?s place to make that decision; remember the right to bear arms shall not be infringed. Self reliance has become too far removed from today?s society and has made the general populace too lax and unproductive. Paralyzed by fear of terrorist attacks, many Americans have willingly given up their rights so that some one else can run their life for them; solely trusting in some one ?better-equipped? to protect them. ?When you're fighting a perpetual war [on terrorism] against an enemy that operates without borders, citizens will become suspects. Privacy, due process, freedom of association, and freedom of movement will be curtailed. Given politicians' predilections, the same fate will likely befall free speech and the right to bear arms.? (Walker 2001)

The ability to carry a weapon is one of the most important factors in the protection of oneself and others. ?In 1982, a survey of imprisoned criminals found that 34% of them had been ?scared off, shot at, wounded or captured by an armed victim.?? (Kleck and Gertz 1995) I have heard it once said that ?an armed society is a polite society.?(Kleck and Gertz 1995) If the whole populace were not restricted in carrying fire arms, the ?playing field? would be even, and criminals would be forced to think twice before attacking, considering the cost-gain of attempting a criminal act upon an armed victim. ?Washington D.C. enacted a virtual ban on handguns in 1976. Between 1976 and 1991, Washington D.C.'s homicide rate rose 200%, while the U.S. rate rose 12%.? (NRA 1999)

Gun control has been and will probably remain a controversial issue for many years; however the myth that weapons are what make people violent is not based on solid fact. There will always be unsafe people in the world and it is our job as American citizens and our duty as human beings is to be ready to protect ourselves from these dangers instead of relying on some one else to do it for us. It is every American citizen?s right to bear arms and protect those one cares about. As America takes up arms in self protection, crime rate will decrease as more people realize they can no longer bully some one around for some quick cash.

Spoiler: works cited

Kleck, Gary; Gertz Marc. Study: ?Armed Resistance to Crime: The Prevalence and Nature of Self-Defense with a Gun.? Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology (Northwestern University School of Law), 1995. <http://www.saf.org/LawReviews/KleckAndGertz1.htm>.

Ludwig, Jens(Editor). Evaluating Gun Policy : Effects on Crime and Violence.
Washington, DC, USA: Brookings Institution Press, 2003. p 2.
Copyright ? 2003. Brookings Institution Press. All rights reserved.
<http://site.ebrary.com/lib/scelc/Doc?id=10063868&ppg=12>

National Rifle Association (NRA). "TEN MYTHS ABOUT GUN CONTROL." Viewed in January of 1999 on the National Rifle Association web site, <http://www.nra.org/>

United States Constitution. ?Second Amendment of the United States Constitution?. Legal Information Institute. 2006. 30 January. 2006
<http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html#amendmentii

Walker, Jesse. ?What happens next?? Reason Online. September 21, 2001. January 31, 2006. <http://reason.com/hod/jw092101.shtml>

 

[Minkoff]

awesome job posting a school essay and passing it off as a opening for a symposium topic :thumbsup:

i didnt read it.

On a serious note I think that guns are fine- even great. I want to be able to protect my family from intruders EVEN THOUGH it would be so RARE that the occasion would come up I would just FEEL SAFER knowing that I could.

plus it's in the bill of rights and YOU JUST DONT FUCK WITH THE BILL OF RIGHTS

 

[Venetia]

Very nice topic, firstly, you bring up a lot of good points.

But the first thing a despot does when rising into power is limit the peoples' rights to bear arms so they can control absolutely. The power to kill and/or defend is still the ultimate power.

The more and more rights people willingly give up in the name of safety is another foot deeper into the ground our freedom is buried.

I agree with the way it is now, with perhaps a few less limitations, actually. I don't have time to expound on which, but needless to say, I'm ultra-pro-freedom of speech, market, trade, business, war, politics, education, and ... everything. Down with big government and all that. Hoorah.

 

[AceJP]

hey thanks Minkoff! I thought it would be a more.. educated.. way to start a topic as opposed to "Gunz are cool! I hate people who don't agree with me simply because they don't agree with me! I have no support to back up my thesis!!11"
Which seems to be the majority of symposium topics I have seen. :thumbsup:

@venetia- I couldn't agree more on big gov't issues.
It's getting ridiculous how the US gov't is over extending it's 'implied' powers.
We discussed that today in my political science class.
How first we were a confederation of states (which is what I would like to see happen again, just on a larger scale.. say, break America into 3 smaller countries) but since the framers wanted a national gov't, the states would eventually lose a lot of their sovereignty.

And now we have a large gov't responsible for way to many things, and it just can't perform as expected :\

 

[sixtyandaquarter]

I don't own a gun, firstly. When I was born my parents had a talk. They decided to get a dog, and that dog ended up being a neighborhood legend of sorts. Husky/shep mix that howled at the moon and was 6ft when he stood on hind legs, no one tried to get in our house, even when both our neighbors had break ins.

But... I'd still own a gun if it came up again. With my neighborhood getting worse and worse, and police activity dropping because they are now moving away, and you never know who has a gun, it's nice to feel that bit of false security that you can defend yourself, and your loved ones.

Get rid of legal guns, and the crooks on the street own the neighborhood. Not like if you make gun control so much harsher, they'd go Aww Shucks and toss their 9's down the drain.

Though I do think we need better background checks, and a few things like that. I think we just need to rehash that and, not make it harder to obtain arms, but rather make it safe to obtain arms.

 

[Junk-Man]

I don't own a gun, but if I needed one to protect the people that I hold dear, I would buy one.

Unfortuneately, If a person wants to really hurt somebody, they can do it. They don't need a gun. You can use a knife, a club, or even your bare hands to hurt a mass number of people.

What will really help is getting behind the problem, asking why people want to hurt people. Offering mental help and "a way out" before the crimes happen and protecting property and preventing negative elements such as drugs, gangs and alcohol from taking hold in communities.

We can put a stop to violence, but getting rid of guns won't solve the problem completely.

 

[Kraft]

I agree. While guns are very powerful and persuasive tools, so are knives, bombs (made from anything... most of the stuff that you can get in a drug store)... almost anything that could kill someone.

(pillows! Marshmallows.. ahhh... nevermind... ^_^)

I think that is people were to make it illegal to have weapons, more people would get them for the sole reason that they are "Illegal"

I mean, how many underage people drink because of the sole fact that it is illegal? or do Drugs? Or... anything like that?
(I do realize that there are other reasons for those things as well, but it still plays a part in it)

I actually voted wrongly in the poll in this topic. ^_^

I chose the first one after only reading the top 3.

I would keep the gun rules as they are, with the part about people with a criminal record not being able to get them. ^_^
(Background check =D)

~Kraft

 

[Phaemon]

I never liked guns much. Went to the navy and became military police and learned to shoot them efficiently (then taught others to shoot them efficiently).

Any appreciation for guns I picked up in the military, I lost when I had one shot at me. Got caught sleeping with a mans wife fresh out of the navy.
I ran for the van, he ran for his rifle. He shot my tire out as I pulled out, then tried to hit me with the 2nd shot. Missed me but put a nice hole in my van.
I had to leave the van and dart off into the woods.

People in general are hateful and murderous. If there were no guns, we would be hitting each over the head with big-ass rocks. Control guns all you want, you can never control humans.

 

[Anglachel]

Americans... What is it with your obsession with guns? Ruling out knives and large heavy objects...

You wouldn't have to have a gun for protection against people with guns if the people werent allowed to have guns in the first place!

After that college massacre I heard a few Americans saying the solution would be to LESSEN gun control. Thats right lessen! Oh that makes so much sense, someone went on a riot with a gun so lets give more people guns. I really can't understand that. I think it's like saying lets stop war by giving every country nuclear weapons.

 

[LosAngeles]

It seems it's really dangerous overseas....
I am totally against guns for civil persons. But I understands the given points(protect yourselfs and the ones you love etc.) when it is so dangerous and aggressive there.
Still I think that if you own a gun you made the decision that you will kill somebody!
Also shooting clubs(or however they're called-->NRA!) should be forbidden.
3 people who were in such an association commited suicide in the last 4 month here in this area.
Everyone who wants to own weapons should join the army, there they can train the handling of weapons and kill people.

It is obviously unfair when your opponent has a weapon and you don't so you can't feel secure. But when nobody owns guns you don't have to fear that.

It's sad that it is written in the Bill of Rights that you can own weapons.
It gives a bad light on this society which always refers to it...

Laws should be definitely strictened.They're too loose. Or get at least all the same laws for all states!!

 

[sixtyandaquarter]

Americans... What is it with your obsession with guns? Ruling out knives and large heavy objects...

Ahh yes, because we're the only people shooting people up. Funny how in the 80's there was this huge belief that Australians had an obsession with knives and rifles - but then again that's what stereotypes are for.

You wouldn't have to have a gun for protection against people with guns if the people werent allowed to have guns in the first place!

And then what? Were not allowed to have hammers because, you know, we'd have no guns so we'd chase someone down with a hammer from a workbench. Power tools go next. Soon we're all eating with plastic flimsy sporks - well, till someone takes an eye out.

Still I think that if you own a gun you made the decision that you will kill somebody!

Ever hear of the huge amount of people who carry unloaded guns? Half my neighborhood owns at least one gun, believe it or not very few own actual bullets.
You break into someones house here, your more likely to be a little kid in their early teens and your doing it to impress the older kids. Your nervous and scared, and then imagine someone screaming at you and pointing a gun. Happens a lot. Very few bullets shot on my streets from the people with guns in their house - it's the dealers you have to watch out for, true, but there's more neighbors than dealers on my block.
More empty barrels than full clips.

Also shooting clubs(or however they're called-->NRA!) should be forbidden.
3 people who were in such an association commited suicide in the last 4 month here in this area.

College should be forbidden, I mean if 3 people committing suicide in 4 months is a reason to get rid of a club we must remove colleges from our lives. High schools, my god in one year I lost 7 friends.
Dam highs chools.

It is obviously unfair when your opponent has a weapon and you don't so you can't feel secure. But when nobody owns guns you don't have to fear that.

No you don't have to fear it. But you have to fear the big board with the nail in it the guy is holding.

And to anyone who would say that it was so much better when people were all fighting each other with non projectile weapons, face to face, just remember that if you ever find yourself facing a 7'2" gangbanger who happens to have brass knuckles and for whatever reason wants to curb stomp you because you have some nice shoes on - cause um... I'm glad my friend had his piece on that one.
--and yes it was legal.

 

[Anglachel]

Ahh yes, because we're the only people shooting people up. Funny how in the 80's there was this huge belief that Australians had an obsession with knives and rifles - but then again that's what stereotypes are for.

If it is only a stereotype this topic wouldn't exist.

And then what? Were not allowed to have hammers because, you know, we'd have no guns so we'd chase someone down with a hammer from a workbench. Power tools go next. Soon we're all eating with plastic flimsy sporks - well, till someone takes an eye out.

Oh yes because plastic forks are just as dangerous as guns.

I'm not exactly certain on our gun laws but practically no one has them except the cops and I don't hear about shooting here, ever.

You break into someones house here, your more likely to be a little kid in their early teens and your doing it to impress the older kids. Your nervous and scared, and then imagine someone screaming at you and pointing a gun. Happens a lot.

Then just imagine how easy it would be for that person to freak out and shoot. Uh oh, dead kid.


Surely you can see that because I wasn't brought up with anything to do with guns, and no one I know was either, everyone carrying a gun around seems absolutely ridiculous.

 

[LosAngeles]

Your nervous and scared, and then imagine someone screaming at you and pointing a gun. Happens a lot.

People are pointing guns at children????
I understand the screaming and all but a gun...it seems exaggerated, even if it's unloaded.(I get the pint with the unloaded weapons, which can achieve a lot already in terms of protection.)Impressive.

College should be forbidden, I mean if 3 people committing suicide in 4 months is a reason to get rid of a club we must remove colleges from our lives. High schools, my god in one year I lost 7 friends.
Dam highs chools.

I don't know how it is over there, but here you have no training of and acces to weapons in highscool/college etc.
I mean if they wouldn't own a gun they might have not killed themselves, because hanging yourself is not so "comfortable" I think. That's just hypothetic, I know a granfather of a friend of mine who hanged hisself recently...

 

[sixtyandaquarter]

I'm not exactly certain on our gun laws but practically no one has them except the cops and I don't hear about shooting here, ever.

You have the Port Arthur massacre where over 30 people were gunned down Tasmania
Strathfield massacre was a shooting rampage in Sydney, 1991.
Melbourne, 1987, the Hoddle Street massacre.
The Queen Street massacre, guy with a sawed off just going around shooting people.
Fathers Day, 84, again in Sydney you have street gangs opening fire on each other in the Miperra massacre.
Just to name a few in my li'l book on crime that happened to be big shootings in Australia's chapter, and I'm not going back to the 1800's, I'm sticking with the more rescent ones.

Seems like Australia's got their share of guns to.

And at the "freak out and shoot", you did notice that I did include that very few of the people who own guns in my neighborhood own bullets right? Sure, I know three people who aren't dealing or doing something more illegal than owning a gun who do own bullets... but I really doubt the rest would accidentally open fire without the proper accessories. Like bullets.

And any weapon is of some advantage when your facing someone with out one. I've been in lunch room fights before, a spork can send little Tommy Valueza to ride an ambulance to get stitches.

EDIT: was typing when LA posted...

People are pointing guns at children????
I understand the screaming and all but a gun...it seems exaggerated, even if it's unloaded.(I get the pint with the unloaded weapons, which can achieve a lot already in terms of protection.)Impressive.

So if someone breaks into your house, god knows what they have - because I did leave out that they too have weapons (I thought it made my point a little clearer to leave that out), your going to... ask nicely to leave? yell? Or show up equally prepared.

I don't know how it is over there, but here you have no training of and acces to weapons in highscool/collage etc.
I mean if they wouldn't own a gun they might have not killed themselves, because hanging yourself is not so "comfortable" I think. That's just hypothetic, I know a granfather of a friend of mine who hanged hisself recently...

Where are you that they don't have access to guns?
Because last I checked every country had adults who had guns. Being near a gun is having access to a gun. Having a black market is having access to guns.

I'm sorry your grandfather hung himself, but there are more hangings than gun related suicides around the world - though it's true, in areas with a more steady amount of guns the table is reversed. But there's thousands of ways to off yourself, no one I ever met shot themselves. Michelle #1 (because we hung out with 2 at the time and it was a cute name) hung herself, Paul overdosed on his first shot of crack on purpose, James hung himself as well, and the list goes on all threw high school. We even had Jen who did jumped off the ferry with handcuffs on at the 10 oclock boat and drowned leaving a suicide note in her bag in the bathroom...

 

[LosAngeles]

So if someone breaks into your house, god knows what they have - because I did leave out that they too have weapons (I thought it made my point a little clearer to leave that out), your going to... ask nicely to leave? yell? Or show up equally prepared.

Good point you have here, but I would yell and use something edgeless. I hope I never experience such a thing, but I know I would never own a gun for these reasons. Well if I will ever be robbed I'll be an easy victim...I might get shot...

Where are you that they don't have access to guns?
Because last I checked every country had adults who had guns. Being near a gun is having access to a gun. Having a black market is having access to guns.

I think we misunderstood each other a bit. I have access to guns if I want I'm not having lessons in shooting in college though. But the basic point I wanted to make clear is, that in a shooting clubs they learn to handle guns and own them, which makes them more willing to use them and glamorizes guns, which I think is bad.

Additionally you must have misread, I know a friend whos grandfather commited suicide.
I didn't know there were more hangings than gun related suicides. You get that point then.

 

[sixtyandaquarter]

I did not misread - though I'm equally wrong as I missposted. I had a hiccup in my method as when I went to edit my post (was looking threw the book I mentioned and typing while you did) because I didn't hit edit, I just went to the li'l quick reply box and typed. Then (because I ahve not ctrl or alt keys at all on this taped together keyboard) highlighted the text in chunks to put in the edit box - and skipped a few words actually. But I'm not rereading my whole post.

Who is most likely to own an illegal weapon and fire an illegal weapon? A local gang member by most standards. Who is most likely to be a member of a shooting club? I've never met anyone whose a member. I've never seen a shooting range. I've fired guns, and I've been shot at. I accidentally got so drunk and high I shot my at the time gf.
---I'm also a very bad person in real life not to mention the gun's safety was actually on and still managed to misfire, and this does not depict my neighbors justly, so please if you want to use that last statement use it against me, not a generalized show.

Most shootings happen on the streets. They occur mostly - at least in my neighborhood - with gangs and rivals. The Russian Mob and the local gangs. The dealers, Frank got shot last year in his car. They say thousands die on the streets every year in certain cities - not even country wide, just certain cities have thousands dead a year.

Most of these people are not trained to fire a weapon conventionally in either shooting clubs (which I've never known anyone who was a member, I've never even seen a shooting range outside of TV).
Most of these people are not legally certified to carry a weapon.

The thing is, with training comes at least some level of discipline. To learn anything requires some level of it. The NRA is actually against several pro-gun options (or at least claim to be in public, I'm not a big fan of theirs either), and have spent lots of money in "donations" to get schoolers to stay away from guns.
An argument I hear is to learn to fire a gun is to learn the value of life. Not to actually fire a gun, and not taking a life, these are just ignorant actions - but to learn to care for, take care of properly, learn the whole kabang of a firearm is said to actually lower the risk of shooting it. I don't believe it personally, but it's said.

I do think guns are over glamered. I don't think they deserve to be. I think they are barbaric and ruthless machines for mankind to control - but I'd rather be able to possibly control my safety with a gun than with out one if I ever so chose. I don't own one, I've never truly needed one (in cases where it was helpful, someone else had one). I think guns are awful, so don't think just because I argue that guns are a necessity of life in areas - with the way things wrongly are - or that I shot someone, that I'm the stereotypical image of a cowboy. I'd much rather never be in a situation that involves the harm, but if it happens, I'd rather live and be against guns in a pipe dream (which is what I describe my view on 'em now) as opposed to against guns altogether and be dead.

 

[LosAngeles]

I see what you mean. The problem is more the gangs and people who own guns illegally. Then it is really necessary to increase police forces.
As you wrote in your first post police activitieas are lessening. More police could confine some shootings.
While I don't think you can control that in any way...

Sorry, I don't know what you mean here:

so please if you want to use that last statement use it against me, not a generalized show.

Could you please explain what you are refering to?

 

[sixtyandaquarter]

You can ignore that note, it's an automatic defense to my own statement made just before. If you really want to know, it's my paranoia telling me that whenever I mention that I shot my at the time girlfriend, that it's going to be used against my point in an unfair way. If I'm defending my generation, and this is brought up, instead of seeing the point I try to make with it it becomes "see, all you young kids are trigger happy punks." I'm just too defensive because I've gotten too much for it, that quite frankly I feel I have to defend myself before I even let anyone read it.

And yes, the illegal gun usage is the true problem in most cases. But gun control laws will never fix that. They'll always be someone selling a gun, and someone buying it. I wish we had more police, but until that day comes gun control - to me - is just another way of taking away the defenses of the common folk.

I think background checks are very important, and the like, the recent Tech shooting is absolute proof of that. But until I have enough police to feel secure when I'm walking home, I'm not going to tell anyone to get rid of their gun, board with a nail in it, chain, spork - or any other really absurd example I might have come up with in these last few posts.

 

[LosAngeles]

Well the incident with your at that time gf is an alarming example, but I can't judge you on that. I don't know about the circumstances and it's just not my business.

I think background checks are very important, and the like, the recent Tech shooting is absolute proof of that. But until I have enough police to feel secure when I'm walking home, I'm not going to tell anyone to get rid of their gun, board with a nail in it, chain, spork - or any other really absurd example I might have come up with in these last few posts.

I understand. Please take care, your descriptions really make me worry about you.
Is it a general fact that there is so much shootings in big cities?
I mean violence, shootings, robbery and stabbing can be found in big cities here cumultatively as well, but I think not even in the ghettos here it's so bad.

 

[Dopples]

I'd like to note that banning guns won't mean people won't have them. They can easily smuggle them from Mexico or Canada.


Cause Canada's packin some heat.